Futari Ecchi Gets Live-Action Film Sequel

The staff and cast of the live-action film adaptation of Aki Katsu's Futari Ecchi (Futari H) romantic comedy manga announced on Sunday that a film sequel has been green-lit. The announcement was made at the event marking the release of the first film's DVD. The manga follows an inexperienced couple and their comic adventures as they explore intimacy with each other.

Yūri Morishita starred in the first live-action film as the wife Yura alongside Riki Miura (Here is Greenwood), and she appeared at Sunday event to announce that she will reprise her role in the sequel. The film will begin shooting in October.

Aki Katsu (Psychic Academy, The Vision of Escaflowne) has been drawing the manga, which describes itself as a "love bible" or a "user's manual" for people in love, in Young Animal and Young Animal Arashi since 1997. The manga has sold 23 million copies so far, and Hakusensha published the manga's 50th compiled book volume in Japan on July 15 with a Futari H Memorial Extra compilation DVD. Tokyopop published the manga in North America under the name Manga Sutra - Futari H before announcing that it would close its North American publishing operations.

Media Blasters released the 2002-2004 original video anime adaptation of the same manga under the name Step Up Love Story. There was a previous live-action television mini-series adaptation of the manga in 2003, and a separate live-action net series premiered in Japan in July.